Bendomino, as it loosely relates to Homeschooling.

In the Summer months, I find it necessary to revisit the reasons I love homeschooling while diligently striving to disallow anyone or anything to steal the heart I have for mine and my kids’ learning.

Why is that more of an issue in the Summer? July is when I join the other Advisory Board Members of our homeschool cooperative to wrap up registration for the upcoming year of academic courses. Part of registration includes assigning parents various necessary roles to keep the co-op running. It is at this point of every year when it becomes obvious that not all members fully grasp the meaning of “cooperative”.

As one can imagine, with a co-op of 30+ families, no one can get everything they want–not even the Advisory Board members who walk, talk, eat, live and breathe the co-op details. Last week, I let this get me down for a few days until I made a conscious decision to counter some of the negative energy I was expending with a fresh perspective.

In my experience when I actively pursue a spirit of thankfulness, I gain clarity. Those things I may have taken for granted–specifically, the beautiful relationships and opportunities the homeschooling cooperative affords my family–start putting a smack down on the negative thoughts that try to stir up a serious spirit of discontentment.

These thoughts were running through my head the other day when Meredith and Kenny pulled out Bendomino, one of the newest games by Blue Orange.

Skimming through the basic rules of the game to refresh the kids and my memory, I recognized several similarities between Bendomino and my thoughts on homeschooling.

Does this type of random reflection happen to you?

When I actively seek and pray for specific changes to occur in my heart, my answers seem to appear in the most unexpected ways and places. For instance, I noticed that Bendomino’s tag line is “Dominoes with a twist,” and the question popped into my head, “Isn’t that what homeschooling is–schooling with a twist?

If that is the case, then why would I expect the homeschooling cooperative to be boxed up all nice and neat? What right do I have to set expectations for the acceptance or behavior of others? Those of us who choose to homeschool come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and mindsets, and as a result, are not going to respond in the same way. It is prideful to allow myself to become so angry and frustrated because it reflects that I believe my response is the right response. In reality, my response is one response, and I have to allow room for others.

NOT that the co-op has to be everything for everyone. JUST that my emotional response to others’ responses needs tempering.

As the kids began the game, they placed all 28 Bendominoes face down and mixed them up, selecting 7 Bendominoes each (It would be 6 each if there were 3 players, and 5 each if there were 4 players.).

For all practical purposes, the game sets up just like dominoes, with the Bendominoes standing on their edges–facing the player.

Doubles are still doubles, but…different. Blanks are still blanks, but it simply isn’t the same.

Again this is a picture of Homeschooling. As parents, we are interested in educating our children–we are going to “school” them in one sense or another, but it looks slightly different.

Because Bendominoes are decidedly curved pieces that must be connected evenly with other pieces, there is a good deal of strategy involved.

Players can decide to place the pieces in open-game or close-game positions (fanning in or out). This can lead to blocked positions where: no matching numbers are available; no matching pieces can fit; a dead end occurs, or even more rare–both ends connect.

Again, I see a correlation with Homeschooling. While we have many homeschooling pioneers who have cleared a path before us, there is still a good deal of planning and preparation involved when parents take on the responsibility of their kids’ education.

Sometimes the options feel as much of a curse as a blessing when trying to sort through what is most important, as well as the choices that best suit our family’s needs and our individual children’s area of interest.

We may get it wrong. We may reach a dead-end and have to turn back and re-assess. We may be pioneers ourselves, waiting to see what the world throws our way while we strategize with our children what their next move should be.

Still, in the midst of each challenge, there is usually another play to be made…and if not, there is always another game on the horizon.

I chose to help form the homeschool cooperative because of the collective vision of the group (our pieces matched up). The Co-op encourages homeschooling parents to merge their skill-sets to provide an academically challenging, educational supplement to the growing number of homeschooling families in our community.

We decided to be a homeschooling cooperative, not just a group of homeschoolers because we wanted a community of families working closely together, investing in each other, and taking on teaching and volunteer responsibilities.

However, just like Kenny was thinking through his move above, our family (and others) should be vigilant to check ourselves at every turn to make sure we still fit–that we still line-up with the vision.

Depending on what we discover, we can decide to play another round or respectfully bow out and clear a new path, leaving our remaining pieces on the table.

Where are you in homeschooling this Summer? Going at it alone? Seeking out a local homeschool group or cooperative? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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For the record, though I am not a representative or affiliate of Blue Orange, and while they have never paid me a dime to demo their products, you may have noticed I have been a fanof their games since one of the readers here first introduced me to Sumoku back in 2011.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Since 2001, Heather Sanders has worked from home in the following industries: web design and development, branding and consulting, web graphics and social media promotion, and copyediting and freelance blogging. Wanna start a blog? Looking for someone to copyedit or proof your posts? Need some social media graphics? Contact Heather today!

Heather Sanders

Hi, I'm Heather. I'm married to Jeff, the love of my life, and together we've raised and homeschooled our three kids: Emelie, Meredith, and Kenny.
Since 2001, I've worked from home in web design and development, branding and consulting, freelance writing, ghost blogging, and blog content management.

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Comments

You know every time I see one of your fab game reviews we have to buy it!!! This one looks no different!!! Hope you have a fab weekend!!!

http://airskull.com IrishMum

Love your writing Heather, the beautiful way you entwine two ideas, amazing. I can’t even think like that, let alone write it 🙂
Great looking game!

AshleyW

LOVE Bendominos. I bought it for my dad for Christmas one year, and it is so much fun to play. We also love Set, Quiddler (You MUST try that one out!), and Five Crowns. All great games!

Terri F from Texas

Very interesting. I love the way these dominos look too. I will be buying me some.

http://www.susanbowers.typepad.com Susan

We joined our homeschool cooperative, understanding fully that I would contribute in a big way for our sons to reap the rewards of the cooperative – being taught, nurtured, loved by other parents in four different classes. While I provide our cooperative one of the more diffiucult-to-fill positions – science teacher – teaching meteorology to high school students, I also have another cooperative duty of a much less importance. But, that isn’t really the word because even that duty of stamping elementary students worksheets with accomplishment stars each morning IS important to those elementary students. I go at my 20-30 minute stamping duty which requires no preparation, no thought really, just fast-paced and a little addition, with the same fervor as I do my meteorology class because my cooperative depends on me. But, I have found through the last couple years that even with a simple task like stamping there are those in the cooperative who do not commit themselves to the work as I believe they should. Because it is a cooperative and they have agreed to cooperate so their child(ren) will benefit. So, I understand where you’re coming from. I have learned though, I have to check myself, and just concern myself with me; am I doing the work I commited too, working at my assigned duties as working for the Lord. As I’m not on the advisory board there isn’t anything I can do about it anyway. But on a side note, our cooperative include a statement of commitment to their registration that parents need to sign at the beginning of the school year, each year. It gives the leadership a tool to ask the family to step down from co-op if they aren’t pulling their weight. Or, more usually they don’t accept them back the next year.

kathiwathi

Hey Heather- This game looks like something my 10-yr old son would enjoy. Also, I commend you for seeing your reactions and emotions. That’s something most of us rarely do. It’s hard to rise above our feelings and look at the big picture without our “self” getting in the way. This article was just what I needed this morning. Thanks:)

http://www.heathersanders.com Heather Sanders

Susan – Thank you for this feedback, both for your reflection, and for how your particular Advisory Board handles those who singularly decide not to be participants.

http://pagesofourchildhood.blogspot.com Ruth

I remember seeing Spot it! and went and bought a set of my own asap! I loved to play it with little people. I even played it with my 7 year old granddaughter and her daddy and she was pointing out the matches to me. I think I’ll have to check out more of the blue orange games. Thank you!

laurah

Another fun game is ‘Square Up’– kids’ friends love to play it when they come over. And along the lines of this game is the old Triominos; still one of our favorites.

One game way out of this realm of games but a great learning experience is ‘Blind Spell’.

http://www.heathersanders.com Heather Sanders

IrishMum – If your family likes dominoes, they’ll like this one. Thanks for the kind words about the post. My brain never shuts off – I have strange correlations. HA! If you think this game looks great, check out Spot It! It is still my FAVORITE Blue Orange game to date.

http://addapinch.com Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

These look so neat!!! Need to get these for Little Buddy…Thanks for the info, Ree!!!

JR

Thank you for your thoughtful insight. As one who is choosing to “respectfully bow out” this coming semester, I understand the struggle. My struggle seems to be complicated by the struggle to provide both meaningful and fun activities, but avoid the fluff that can get in the way. Time is precious. Spending it wisely is paramount. I have learned that I need to be still and listen to what the Lord wants for our family. Sometimes we are called to be a blessing to others and sometimes we are called to bless each other. Balancing our inward and outward focus is a challenge. Thank you for being so honest.

Yvette Toohey

When in a cooperative, how do you evaluate, judge or measure a person’s abilities and skills about subject matter and about teaching. Has anyone considered that perhaps the less “skillful” may be in over their heads and embarrassed about it. Or maybe some things just need to be assigned. IE Parent A is not teaching a subject. Why does not the cooperative therefore assign Parent A to set up a field trip to a nearby museum, park, library, business, college, manufacturing plant, etc. Or assign Parent B to assist a teaching parent in equipment set-up, shopping , monitoring, transportation, grading – whatever is needed. And, assign Parent C to care for the teaching parents pre-school children (IE; short term day care). Can not “assignments” be part of the cooperative’s charter.

Wendi

Heather, thank you so much for this entry and all your comparisons to the Bendominos. We had our planning meetings a couple weeks ago for our all-day/half-day co-op after we had been emailing and I shared your personal wisdom with the others and it helped so much. Thank you for all of your thoughts. Then I read your entry last week about your frustrations with your co-op planning and I wanted to reply and thank you for your encouragement to our group and send back to you some encouragement and a hug. Your entry gave me more thought about what we need to think about in the planning of our local co-op. I am so thankful for those that go before us (you) and share your wisdom with us, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It really helps us and for that I am grateful. What an honor we have to create the learning environment for our children, one that looks different for everyone, and one that is constantly changing and bending. I wouldn’t have it any other way, even during those hard times. Hugs being sent your way today, and prayers being said for your family this year as you venture in to another fabulous year of learning. Thank you Heather for being real. 🙂

DebbieDau

Thanks a bunch for letting us know about Bendomino… We will have to get one and try it out. We do love playing Chicken Foot with dominos! This one should be fun. Have you tried TENZI??

http://www.heathersanders.com Heather Sanders

DebbieDau – No, I’ve not heard of TENZI. I’ll have to look it up, thanks. 🙂

http://www.heathersanders.com Heather Sanders

Wendi – I am glad that our correspondence helped, but it is probably a stretch to call it “wisdom” — more like experience. I appreciate your encouragement though and fully embrace all the hugs and prayers. Thank you.

http://www.heathersanders.com Heather Sanders

Yvette – You’ve made some strong points–many we have had to consider. Just like I am not equipped to teach an upper level Math course, there are others who do not feel capable of teaching at all. In those situations we do have other “leadership” volunteer placements. Our “cooperative” requires all parents contribute, but not necessarily teach. I’m not sure about the others here though — they may have different set-ups.

LynneW

Thank you for your posting. I’m not a political junkie but your thoughts reminded me of our US Congress. If people would just take a step back & and think of not only personal issues but the good of the whole we’d be a lot better off. This philosophy should also be helpful in any team/ corporate program.

Beth

I’m always looking for great new game options, homeschooling or not. Thanks for the idea!

Beki

Excellent article that can actually apply to any area of our life, not just home schooling!!! In fact as you talk about how you pray to know how to get changes in your heart it comes from unexpected ways…..brings to my mind it seems to work opposite with me…..I work on relationships dear to me and as I pray that the Lord change those that cause me pain or issues, He always always comes back and tells me what to change about me. And of course He is right!

Can’t wait to get the Bendominos. My brother and his family just visited and brought with them a game: Forbidden Island…It is addictive to all of us who played and I LOVE that we aren’t playing against each other but having to work together to get off the island before it sinks. No one wins unless we all get off!!!!! Love that!!!

Thanks again, though I just graduated my baby from high school, I enjoy reading your blog.

Bev J

Thanks, Ree! My kids love playing Dominos, so I’m sure that they will thrilled with this spin on the original.

Bev J

Hi Heather,

I never meant to diminish your part in this marvelous game. Sometimes I get confused between Ree’s contributions and all the marvelous friends that contribute to her site.

Susan

Anytime a group of women are running something there will be drama and issues. That’s why I put more time into my kid at home and completely avoid the mama drama that is known by another name…PTA! I’m sure they think I’m horrible and not involved and blah blah blah. But it took me a few years to realize I didn’t need that extra drama in my life and there were other things I could do at home to be involved in my kids education. Hang in there! Sounds like you got some good clarity.